ON A FLY DRINKING OUT OF HIS CUP

William Oldys 1687-1761

Busy, curious, thirsty Fly,

Gently drink, and drink as I;

Freely welcome to my Cup,

Could'st thou sip, and sip it up;

Make the most of Life you may,

Life is short and wears away.

Just alike, both mine and thine,

Hasten quick to their Decline;

Thine's a Summer, mine's no more,

Though repeated to threescore;

Threescore Summers when they're gone,

Will appear as short as one.

William Oldys was an English antiquarian and bibliographer. He spent two years in the Fleet Prison, being released when his friends paid his debts. It was said that Oldys was "a noted antiquary and bibliographer but wholly ignorant of heraldry and known for being 'rarely sober in the afternoon, never after supper and much addicted to low company.'

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